The Polish ambassador in Washington is angered over plans by a Chicago-based film distributor to market a German movie that portrays Polish resistance fighters in World War II as greedy anti-Semites.
Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf appealed to Ed Arnetz, managing director of Music Box Films, to cancel the project to promote the film “Our Mothers, Our Fathers” on U.S. television stations and video discs.
“This portrayal is based on stereotypes and incomplete information, and is deeply hurtful to the soldiers who fought heroically against the German occupation [of Poland], often paying the ultimate price their lives,” the ambassador said in his letter, posted on the Polish Embassy website.
Mr. Schnepf, who holds a doctorate in history, noted that the Polish Home Army, with nearly 400,000 volunteers, was the largest anti-Nazi resistance movement in occupied Europe.
He added that the army included “many Polish Jews.”
The diplomat also stressed that many Poles, including his parents, risked their lives by helping Jews flee from the Nazis.
“As Poland’s ambassador, as a historian and, finally, as the son of individuals engaged in rescuing Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, I strongly protest against this false presentation of the history of my country and my people,” he said in his letter.
Music Box Films did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Diplomatic Traffic
Foreign visitors in Washington this week include:
Monday
Balasubramanian Muthuraman, vice chairman of India’s Tata Steel and chairman of Tata International. He discusses India’s economic condition in a briefing at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Gill Bennett, former chief historian of the British Foreign Ministry who addresses the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Tuesday
Donnacha O’Beachain of Ireland’s Dublin City University, who addresses the Center for Strategic and International Studies on the progress of former Soviet republics more than 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Wednesday
Andris Spruds, director of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, who addresses the Center for Strategic and International Studies on relations between Germany and the Baltic nations.
Thursday
Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe of Haiti, who addresses the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Finance Minister Andris Vilks of Latvia and Ilmars Rimsevics, president of the Bank of Latvia. They address the Heritage Foundation.
Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal of Afghanistan; Chairman Haji Hossain Fahim and CEO Mohammad Qurban Haqjo of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries; Zamari Kamgar, chairman of Afghanistan’s Kam Air; Ghulam Hazrat Safi, chairman of Afghanistan’s Safi Airways; and Joji Tokeshi, director of the Asian Development Bank in Kabul. They speak at an Afghan transportation symposium sponsored by the Afghan Embassy.
Finance Minister Anders Borg of Sweden, who addresses the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Friday
Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg, who accepts the Transatlantic Leadership Award from the European Institute.
Finance Minister Uros Cufer of Slovenia, who holds a 9 a.m. news conference at the National Press Club to discuss Slovenia’s economic reforms.
⦁ Email Embassy Row at jmorrison@washingtontimes.com. The column is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• James Morrison can be reached at jmorrison@washingtontimes.com.
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